Secret summit to save rugby
By Jon Geddes
Forum...Wallabies coach Robbie Deans with Super 14 coaches Andy Friend, John Mitchell and Chris Hickey during a break in their meeting. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph
AUSTRALIAN Super 14 coaches have joined with Wallabies mentor Robbie Deans in a summit that could be the catalyst for a revival of Australia's rugby fortunes.
Our exclusive photo shows Wallabies coach Robbie Deans in deep discussion with Brumbies coach Andy Friend, Force coach John Mitchell and Waratahs coach Chris Hickey at ARU headquarters in St Leonards yesterday.
The brains trust were taking part in the Unity of Purpose conference organised by the ARU and attended by the heavyweights of Australian rugby at the national and provincial level. Queensland have not yet appointed a coach and were represented by physio Geoff Clark because he was the last man standing following an end-of-season purge.
The pow-wow took place three days after the Wallabies finished with the wooden spoon in the Tri-Nations. The meeting could prove a turning point as the game in Australia looks to get back on track just two years out from the 2011 World Cup. During a break in proceedings, ARU high-performance unit boss David Nucifora did not attempt to sugarcoat his description of 2009.
"It was disappointing because results ultimately govern where your thinking lies," he said. "And we didn't win enough games in Tri-Nations - one out of six is not good enough - and also in Super rugby we didn't have a team in the finals.
"So you certainly could not look back at that and say it was a successful year."
Key issues raised yesterday included co-operation between the Super 14 sides and the Wallabies, as well as the direction of the game.
Deans said there were no boundaries as to what was discussed. "It's a great opportunity to gather as a meeting of minds and discuss our common challenges, our common opportunities and just looking to do what we do better," he said.
"We are here to discuss, essentially, how can we help the franchises and conversely how can they help us."
The summit is all part of Australian rugby having to do things smarter because it does not have the player depth of countries such as South Africa and New Zealand, and is facing fierce competition from rugby league, AFL and soccer.
As Deans said: "It's about us maximising what we do as a code in Australia."
Friend said that while there had been some direction from the ARU, they also wanted to hear the thoughts of the Super 14 coaches.
"As a collective group we have been in there sharing thoughts and concerns and fears," he said.
"I think the direction of the game is a big one: Where is the game going?
"Also, protocols around how our players are managed, whether they are in the provincial side or whether they are in the Wallaby side is another important one."
Players' fitness and how they are monitored has come under scrutiny for a long time and Friend said that was also on the agenda.
"Whether the expectations the provinces have are in line with the Wallabies," Friend explained.
The Brumbies coach said it was good to get everyone sitting around the same table sharing their thoughts on the game and his views were echoed by his Waratahs counterpart Hickey.
"It's about making sure that we are all working in the one direction and ultimately that means supporting the national team," Hickey said.
"If all our efforts are going in the one direction we can achieve a lot more."
Nucifora said rugby was an unusual game where the players have two sets of employers. "We have to do everything we can to make sure we are on the same page so that we get consistency from the player group," he said.
"It is more about making sure there are good lines of communication, there are good management practices in place and those things need to be continually worked at. That is what we are trying to do in there."
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